1
as in fight
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective
passing the medical licensing exam was an uphill battle, but she succeeded
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
a battle between rival gangs left two people lying dead on the street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in field
active fighting during the course of a war
soldiers who desperately wanted to forget the horrors that they had witnessed in battle
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the chess game was a real battle between two of the world's best players
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
3
as in to fight
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict
the two armies battled each other for control of the bridge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to oppose
to strive to reduce or eliminate
we must battle hunger and poverty wherever they exist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of battle
Liana Handler
follow, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
From seeking out alternative forms of care to pushing through pain, workers were fighting individual battles to survive.
—Ann Larson, Time, 11 June 2026
Greg Myre, NPR, 10 June 2026
Abu Diab has been battling demolition orders in court since 2004.
—Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for battle
Noun
The same teenager who drafts op-eds to send to places like the Times plots his next battle attack.
—Liana Handler
follow, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
From seeking out alternative forms of care to pushing through pain, workers were fighting individual battles to survive.
—Ann Larson, Time, 11 June 2026
Verb
When Israel first battled Hezbollah in the 1980s, the militant group was new and inexperienced.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 10 June 2026
Abu Diab has been battling demolition orders in court since 2004.
—Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for battle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battle
Noun
-
Attorneys say Gray intervened in fight Attorneys claim Gray was attempting to break up a fight when Tarver pulled out a gun and shot him.—
Erin Jones,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
-
For Ritter, the elevated bar is almost beside the point, because the SpaceX grants differ fundamentally from the Tesla fight.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
One of those skirmishes, in fact, involved Childress himself, in 2011 at Kansas Speedway, when the then-65-year-old car owner for an opposing team got into a physical altercation with Busch after an on-track incident.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2026
-
At Bunker HIll, historical displays are accompanied by panels with quotes that reflect on the monument and the Battle of Bunker Hill, the first major skirmish of the Revolutionary War.—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
For example, the NHL did not include Russia in its 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025, though Russia would arguably have one of the strongest rosters in the field.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
-
In addition to waiting out and acquiring Klint Kubiak as their head coach, the Raiders made some significant on-field acquisitions.—
Gladys Louise Tyler,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Swiatek has owned Paris in recent years, and Alcaraz and Sinner have looked like the next two-man rivalry ready to grab the sport by the throat.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
-
The intense rivalry between Dutton Ranch and 10 Petal Ranch is one aspect of the show that doesn't ring true for Jarvis.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Born in 1907, Carson came of age in a world of increasingly complex and competing attitudes toward nature.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
Their mother, Regina Rajchrtová, is a former professional tennis player who competed for Czechoslovakia in the 1988 Summer Olympics.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
With California facing increasingly destructive wildfires, experts and officials have long urged the strategic removal of dense, flammable vegetation that can erupt into particularly destructive flames from a lightning bolt or the spark of a power line.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
But rescuers caution that the remaining four men face an equally dangerous journey to safety.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
And after several brain health retreats, Six Senses now runs a one-day Mind Your Brain program at several of its properties, from Fiji to the Seychelles, claiming to combat everything from brain fog to mental fatigue with activities like brain games, yoga, sound baths, and meditation.—
Melinda Fulmer,
Robb Report,
11 June 2026
-
The new production line was a direct response to the United States and its allies’ need to combat the persistent drone threat posing risks to military personnel and infrastructure.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Bass also accused Raman of repeatedly opposing efforts to address encampments near schools and increase police staffing.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
11 June 2026
-
The amendment would tighten existing restrictions in the Southern Baptist Convention, which already has a faith statement opposing women pastors.—
Peter Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Battle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battle. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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